Canberra Centre facts for kids
| Location | 148 Bunda Street, Civic, Canberra |
|---|---|
| Opening date | 6 March 1963 |
| Owner | ACT Government (Garema Place division) |
| No. of stores and services | 380 |
| No. of anchor tenants | 5 |
| Total retail floor area | 207,668 m2 (2,235,320 sq ft) |
| No. of floors | 4 |
Canberra Centre is a really big shopping mall in the heart of Canberra, Australia. It's the largest shopping centre in the whole Australian Capital Territory. It first opened its doors on March 6, 1963, and was originally called the Monaro Mall. It was super special because it was the first mall in Australia to have three floors and be completely indoors!
Over the years, it has grown a lot and now has over 380 different shops and stores. It's a popular place for people to shop, eat, and hang out. In 1997, it was even named an Australian Capital Historic Site.
Contents
History of Canberra Centre
How It Started
The original shopping centre, called the Monaro Mall, was opened by Prime Minister Robert Menzies on March 6, 1963. It was a big deal because it was the first mall in Australia to have three floors. It was also fully enclosed and had air conditioning, which was quite new back then!
It had major stores like David Jones and Marcus Clarks. There were also 58 smaller shops.
Growing Bigger
The mall got much bigger and was renamed the Canberra Centre. This new version was officially opened on November 2, 1989. At first, it had four main areas: David Jones, Myer, City Market (for fresh food), and Target.
To get between some of these areas, you had to go outside or use special moving walkways.
Major Changes and Updates
In 1993, the entrance on Bunda Street was changed. Also, an upper floor fashion area was added. A really big expansion happened in 2002. The mall was extended across Bunda Street, and Ainslie Avenue was closed. This made it easier to get to City Market and Target without going outside.
During this time, the inside of the mall was also updated. Old colors and materials were replaced with new, modern ones. The big fountain in the middle was removed and replaced with a large TV screen.
More Shops and Food
More expansions were finished in late 2006. This added about 100 more stores and a second food court. The City Market, which sells fresh food, was also moved to a new spot.
A new area called North Quarter was built on Bunda Street. It has many restaurants both inside and outside.
The Big Storm of 2007
On February 28, 2007, a very strong thunderstorm hit Canberra. It caused a lot of rain, hail, and damage. The Canberra Centre was badly affected. Water poured from the ceiling, especially in the cinema. Many parts of the mall, including the newer sections, had damage and flooding.
Recent Updates
In mid-2013, the food court on the lower ground level was closed for a big update. It reopened later that year, along with the lower ground levels of Myer and David Jones.
In July 2017, a renovated part of the Canberra Centre, called Monaro Mall, reopened. It became a "Beauty precinct" with many famous beauty brands. New fashion stores like H&M, Gorman, and Calvin Klein also opened in 2017.
Towards the end of 2018 and in 2019, even more new stores opened. These included popular brands like Superdry, Nike, The North Face, Vans, and Levi's. These stores are mostly on the lower level of the mall.
